wfn.org | Lutherans Among Most Valuable Players on Super Bowl Sunday

[NEWS@ELCA.ORG]

ELCA NEWS SERVICE

February 4, 2004

Lutherans Among Most Valuable Players on Super Bowl Sunday
04-017-MR

     CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The New England Patriots' Tom Brady, named
"Most Valuable Player" at the NFL 2004 Super Bowl, was not the
only award-winning performer on Feb. 2.  Thousands of faith
groups, including the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
(ELCA), also marched to victory that day.
     Members of the ELCA participated in the "Souper Bowl of
Caring," a national effort aimed at raising millions of dollars
for hunger-fighting organizations across the country.  Organizers
reported their results on game day.  As of Feb. 4, more than
1,400 Lutheran congregations across the country reported raising
$413,000.  About 8,700 organizations across the country raised
more than $3 million.  Totals are updated on
http://www.souperbowl.org -- the Souper Bowl of Caring's Web
site.
     Some congregations of the ELCA arranged for young people to
collect food and dollars in large soup pots as parishioners left
worship the morning of the championship football game.	Some
congregations contributed their donations to the ELCA World
Hunger Appeal, local food pantries and homeless shelters.
     Our Savior's Lutheran Church, Rockford, Ill., collected more
than 500 pounds of food and $1,120 for the Rock River Valley Food
Pantry, reported Linda Sandquist, assistant to the pastors.
"Confirmation students were encouraged to bring in canned goods
and compete for an ice cream party," she said.	The class that
collected the most goods was awarded the party.
     Senior high school youth led "temple talks" during all three
services at Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, Ill.  More than $520
was collected for the ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
     The youth group at Mount Olive Lutheran Church, Hickory,
N.C., raised $695 for the Hickory Soup Kitchen.  Members of the
congregation also used Souper Bowl of Caring as "a kickoff" for
the congregation's Women of the ELCA "Have a Heart" campaign -- a
food drive for a local crisis assistance ministry.
     Members of St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ridgeville
Corners, Ohio, collected $200 for "The Friendship House," a
homeless shelter in Archbold, Ohio.
     A "special offering" was held during worship at St. John's
Lutheran Church, Bellevue, Ohio.  The pastor of the congregation
led the collection with the help of the church's confirmation
class and a few parents.  More than $310 was garnered for the
ELCA World Hunger Appeal.
     The junior high school group at American Lutheran Church,
Cozad, Neb., raised $69 for the Cozad Food Pantry and Cozad
Emergency Action.
     In addition to collecting money and food, young people
across the country participated in a "Service Blitz" Jan. 31.
Youth volunteered their time at soup kitchens, food banks and
other local community service sites.
     A new feature for the 2004 Souper Bowl of Caring was a
"Blitz-a-Thon," where young people "served and received
donations.  Ten cities were selected for Souper Bowl of Caring
mobile stops," said Sue Edison-Swift, associate director for
hunger and disaster appeal communication, ELCA Department for
Communication.
     "On Jan. 22 the mobile vehicle stopped at the Capitol Area
Food Bank, Washington, D.C.  A group of 10 youth from St. Luke
Evangelical Lutheran Church, Silver Spring, Md., joined Laura
Bush in volunteering at the food bank that day," she said.
     "A dollar can do a lot," said Edison-Swift.  "The ELCA World
Hunger program, for example, tells us that a dollar will feed a
child who's orphaned by AIDS in Tanzania or Ethiopia or Uganda
for a day.  So, if you multiply that dollar by the $503,888" that
Lutherans collected during the 2003 Souper Bowl of Caring, "it
tells people that we're in this together and we care," she said.
     "Souper Bowl of Caring strikes me as the value added to
what's become a national, secular holiday, Super Bowl Sunday.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if on Feb. 2, as we're all discussing
our favorite commercial or our favorite set of plays, that we're
also talking about the money our congregations raised and the
food collected?  Then, we've lifted this cultural event into
something very God-pleasing," said Edison-Swift.
     To prepare for the Souper Bowl, each of the 10,721
congregations of the ELCA received a packet containing resources
and ideas for youth groups and others to plan for the event.  The
packet was produced by the ELCA World Hunger Appeal and the
Lutheran Youth Organization (LYO).  Housed in the ELCA's Division
for Congregational Ministries, LYO represents more than 500,000
high-school age members of ELCA congregations across the United
States and Caribbean.
     The packet included a poster and bulletin inserts designed
to invite members of the church to give one dollar or more.
     Souper Bowl of Caring began when the Rev. Brad Smith, Spring
Valley Presbyterian Church, Columbia, S.C., made reference to the
National Football League's Super Bowl Sunday as "Souper Bowl"
Sunday in a prayer.  The senior youth fellowship of the
congregation took the pun in earnest, and a national effort to
fight hunger was born.	Smith now serves full-time as executive
director of Souper Bowl of Caring.
     The partnership has grown from 22 churches in 1990 to more
than 12,500 congregations in Canada and in every U.S. state.  The
effort generated more than $3.5 million in 2003.
 - - -
Editors: Contributions to the ELCA World Hunger Appeal can be
sent to: ELCA WHA P.O. Box 71764 Chicago, IL 60694-1764.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news